A student at Stillwater Area High School in Minnesota made the decision five years ago to attend college in Michigan following a cascade of events. Milan Jostes said, “I went to ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair), and LTU had a booth there. All the other schools talked about what programs they offered. LTU talked about how they focused on the student and how it boiled down to ‘Theory and Practice.’”
A Passion for Coding Early On
This intrigued Jostes because he likes “getting his hands on things,” like computers. He decided on scientific software development as an area of concentration because it allows him to adapt to specific situations when coding, which he loves. This past summer, Jostes worked for a hedge fund manager in Florida, helping him organize and code financial data for his clients. He notes, “Hedge funds deal with a lot of data and analysis of trends. Working with the hedge fund manager was an absolutely amazing experience. It’s always exciting when your boss believes in you and gives you the freedom to make suggestions.”
But neither his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, which he earned in May 2025, nor his summer job was his first experience with coding. “I started my career at LTU about four-and-a-half years ago, but I got a lot of credits during high school. I was in the Post-Secondary Education Option in computer science and got 18 credit hours that counted as science and math credits,” Jostes explained.
“I knew pretty early on that I genuinely loved programming. So, I focused on taking a lot of programming classes during COVID-19. I couldn’t go anywhere; I thought I might as well push ahead.”
Curiosity Meets Coding
Jostes will earn his Master of Science in Computer Science degree with a concentration in data science and intelligent systems this December because he took advantage of Lawrence Tech’s 4 + 1 program, where students obtain both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in only five years.
Ambition, curiosity, and creativity are Jostes’ strong suits. He’s considering the possibility of a second master’s degree from LTU in Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning or Connected Vehicles and Robotics.
Jostes aspires to be a freelance programmer. “I like being able to work on many different projects. Scientific Software became my opportunity to work in many areas. I enjoy working when I can work with people who are excited and passionate about what they’re doing.”
One of those passion projects at LTU was working on the IGVC (Intelligent Ground Vehicles Competition) team. LTU’s goal in the IGVC has been to help computer science students understand and create algorithms to get their intelligent car to follow commands. Jostes has been a member of the team for the last four years, helping LTU to win first place in 2024 and second place in 2025.
Bright Future Ahead
CJ Chung, PhD, is Jostes’ academic advisor. He said, “Milan has demonstrated exceptional ambition, intelligence, and commitment to excellence. As a National Science Foundation REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) intern in 2023 and a key member of our award-winning 2024 and 2025 IGVC teams, he has shown a strong eagerness to learn.
“He co-authored four peer-reviewed IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) conference papers, reflecting his research ability and dedication to computer science and autonomous robotics. Milan is not only a talented computer scientist but also a dedicated team player and a role-model volunteer at campus events. He has a remarkably bright future ahead, and I have no doubt he will make significant contributions throughout his career.”
By: Renée Ahee
